Strange questions regarding the Royal family

[Leto]

I'm starting this thread to get some answers to some rather strange questions actually. The first of which has to do with the law of witnessed births. I understand that switching babies was a real fear of the royals and that was why it was put in place. However, I had heard that King George abolished the Parliamentary witness law some time after the birth of Margaret. "She was the last Royal born in England that required a Parliamentary witness for the Royal birth; the practice ended when her father decreed that there was no longer need for such 'anachronistic nonsense'." I was just curious if anyone knew the exact date or any further details on the abolishment of this strange law?

[iowabelle]

I have to say, Margaret wasn't born in England.

[Elspeth]

Well, you know - England, Scotland - same island...

I don't know that it was a law as much as a tradition, but we have some very knowledgeable people around here who will be able to give you more details.

[Ranunculus Rex]

Shortly before the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the hope that the deeply unpopular (and Catholic) James II would die without legitimate heirs was confounded by the birth of James Edward--the future Old Pretender.

Confronting the stark reality of a Catholic dynasty, rumors quickly abounded that the birth was a sham and that the newborn Prince was actually an imposter smuggled in a warming pan that had been used by James's Queen at her lying-in.

William of Orange declared that he was convinced that the rumors were true, and used them to partly excuse his invasion of England to defend the Protestant religion.

As a consequence, future Royal births in Great Britain, up until the mid 20th century, had to be witnessed by a Minister of the Crown...a rather onerous duty!

Apparently, this requirement was a constutional convention only, and there was no statute law involved.

RR

[chrissy57]

Originally Posted by Ranunculus Rex

Shortly before the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the hope that the deeply unpopular (and Catholic) James II would die without legitimate heirs was confounded by the birth of James Edward--the future Old Pretender.

Confronting the stark reality of a Catholic dynasty, rumors quickly abounded that the birth was a sham and that the newborn Prince was actually an imposter smuggled in a warming pan that had been used by James's Queen at her lying-in.

William of Orange declared that he was convinced that the rumors were true, and used them to partly excuse his invasion of England to defend the Protestant religion.

As a consequence, future Royal births in Great Britain, up until the mid 20th century, had to be witnessed by a Minister of the Crown...a rather onerous duty!

Apparently, this requirement was a constutional convention only, and there was no statute law involved.

RR

A small correction or two to the story.

James II most definitely did have legitimate heirs - two of them in fact. They were the daughters of his first wife, Anne Hyde. However, a younger brother moved them from 1st and 2nd in the order of succession to 2nd and 3rd.

The eldest of these daughters was married to William of Orange (who was very high in the order of succession in his own right). William's invasion was as much about getting the throne for his own wife - Mary, who was James II's eldest daughter as it was about getting it for himself. When he died the throne then passed to Mary's younger sister, James II's 2nd daughter, Anne.

[Ranunculus Rex]

Chrissy57, thank you for catching my inadvertent error...I meant to say legitimate male offspring by James's Queen, Mary of Modena.

My best wishes to you.

RR

[CasiraghiTrio]

This is a great idea for a thread. I have some "strange"/silly questions.

Questions on the silly legends that get bantered around....
1) Does the Prince of Wales really have a prized loo cover collection? (This would be dead useful, as those dreadful paper covers I hate but always use in public facilities; it must be awesome to have cozy ones to travel with!)
2) Did Prince William really once flush his father's shoes down the toilet? How does one do that precisely?

[dazzling]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

This is a great idea for a thread. I have some "strange"/silly questions.

2) Did Prince William really once flush his father's shoes down the toilet? How does one do that precisely?

does a shoe actually flush down the toilet this is hilarioues, im looking fwd to the answer. if so, how old was Prince William when he did that?

[ysbel]

Does the two year old Harry actually hang well out of a window?

(That's what I heard William did to him when they were young)

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by ysbel

Does the two year old Harry actually hang well out of a window?

(That's what I heard William did to him when they were young)

Either....
1) Wills was giving Harry an early taste of rappelling
2) or he was displaying some rather disturbing Wacko Jacko symptoms....

Either way, if this is true, then Prince William has super powers!
Let's see, little Wills could flush shoes down a toilet, dangle a two year old from a window (he must have been four, damn he was a strong kid!)